Fluid translating apparatus



May 27, 1941. J. G. RITTER 2,243,123 FLUID TRANSLA'TING APPARATUS FiledJune 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l-llll lllllll I WITNESSES: Z? IYN\VENTOR7?, W FIG 5 JOHN G. R/T ER ATTORNEY May 27, 1941- J. G. RITTER FLUIDTRANSLATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 1939 III INVENJOHN G. R/

A'ITORN WITNESSES:

TOR TTER Patented May 27, 1941 FLUID TRANSLATING APPARATUS John G.Bitter, Springfield, Mass, assignor to Westinghouse Electric &Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania.

Application June 17, 1939, Serial No. 279,633

8 Claims.

My invention relates to fluid translating apparatus, more particularlyto a suction valve structure therefor of the reed type. This typecomprises a thin flexible valve reed or strip which is loosely held atboth ends so as to permit bending of the entire valve strip along asingle curve upon the suction stroke of the piston. A valve structure ofthis type is shown and described, for example, in Patent No. 1,341,145of R. Meyer.

Prior valve structures of this type comprise a plate disposed betweenthe suction valve seat and the cylinder, which interposed platecooperates with the valve seat to position the valve strip and to form astop for opening movement. The plate is formed with ports on oppositesides of the valve strip to provide communication with the cylinder, andthese ports result in increased volumetric clearance. That is, upon thecompression stroke they receive compressed gas which re-expandsduringthe suction stroke, and partially fills the cylinder, therebydecreasing the quantity of gas that is actually translated.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved valve structure ofthe character set forth.

A more particular object is to provide a suction valve structure ofdecreased volumetric clearance toincrease the eiliciency of thecompressor, particularly at low suction pressure.

One embodiment of my invention, for example, comprises a valve reed orstrip extending across the end of the cylinder, both ends of the stripprojecting beyond the cylinder and being loosely held in recesses formedin the cylinder member. Upon the suction stroke of the piston, thecentral portion of the valve strip moves into the cylinder, moving intoa position thereof traversed by the piston. My invention may also beincorporated in other embodiments, some of which are shown on thedrawings.

The above and other objects are efiected by my invention as will beapparent from the following description and claims taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2, ofthe compressor in which my novel suction valve structure isincorporated;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1;

' Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views showing the discharge andsuction valves, respectively, and taken on the section lines III-III andIV-IV, respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a second embodiment of myinvention, the section being taken on the line VV of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the second embodiment taken onthe section line VI-VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a third embodiment, with parts of thecompressor removed;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional View of a further embodiment;

Fig. 10 is avertical sectional view of another embodiment, including amodified form of cylinder head, which is particularly suitable forcompressors used in domestic refrigerators, the section being taken onthe line X-X of Fig. 11;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line XI-XI of Fig.10; and

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line XII-XII of Fig.10. r

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, I show, in Fig. 1, aportion of a reciprocating compressor in which my novel valve structureis incorporated. The compressor includes a cylinder block or member 10in which a cylinder II is formed. The cylinder extends perpendicularlyto and terminates in the plane surface formed on the top of the cylindermember. A reciprocating piston 12 operates within the cylinder I l. Thecylinder member is further formed with a suction or inlet passage l3 anda discharge or outlet passage M.

A valve plate I5 is positioned on the upper plane surface of thecylinder member, and a cylinder head 16 is positioned above the valveplate. The cylinder head It is bolted-to the cylinder member by means ofsuitable bolts and nuts, some of which are indicated at H, the valveplate l5 being clamped between the cylinder head and the cylinder block.The cylinder head is formed with a suction chamber I3 and a dischargechamber 19, the chambers being separated by a partition 20. The suctionchamber I3 communicates with the suction passage [3 through a port 2|formed in the valve plate 15 and with the cylinder l I through a suctionvalve indicated generally by the reference numeral 22. The dischargechamber 19 communicates with the discharge passage l4 through a port 23formed in the valve plate l5 and with the cylinder ll through adischarge valve, indicated generally by the reference numeral 24.

The valves 22 and 24 are of the type known as the reed valve. Thesuction valve 22 comprises a port 25 formed in the valve plate 95 and athin resilient valve reed or strip which seats against that portion ofthe lower surface of the valve plate surrounding the port As will beseen from the drawing, the valve strip 23 extends across and through thecylinder at the end thereof, both ends projecting beyon the cylinder.

The cylinder block i9 is formed with recesses 2? for receiving theprojecting end portions of the valve strip 25. These recesses areformed, as shown on the drawings, so as to restrain the Valve stripagainst either longitudinal or transverse movement in the plane of thevalve strip. The lower surfaces of the recesses, however, are curveddownwardly toward the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 4. Accordingly, therecesses permit the valve strip 26 to be bowed downwardly away from thevalve seat in the manner shown in Fig. 19. Such bowing of the valvestrip is effected by the suction gas flowing into the cylinder upon thedownward or suction stroke of the piston l2. The lower surfaces of therecesses are preferably inclined surhciently to provide some clearancebetween the same the valve strip when the latter is bowed, as shown inFig. 10. Only the ends of the valve strip contact these surfaces. Theadvantage of this arrangement is that it provides quieter operation,since there is no part of the valve strip striking against the surfaces.

The upper surface of the piston 52 is preferably recessed, as shown at23 in Fig. l, to r ceive the valve strip, so that the major portion ofthe upper surface of the piston may approach more closely the lowersurface of the valve plate Hi. This arrangement minimizes the volumetricclearance, that is, the space in the cylinder at the end of thecompression stroke.

The discharge valve 2 3 comprises a port 22: formed in the valve plate55 and'a valve strip 30 seating on the upper surface of the valve plate!5 around the port The valve strip is positioned in any suitable manner,for example, by a guide member 3 formed with recesses 32 which positionthe portions of the valve strip in a manner similar to that in which thevalve strip 25 is retained. The guide member 31 may be bolted to thevalve plate l5 by means of bolts i Ossrnrron In the operation of thecompressor, the piston i2 is reciprocated in the usual manner. Thedownward movement of the piston tends to create a vacuum in the cylinderi, whereupon the gaseous fluid is drawn through the suction passage l3,the port 2!, the suction chamber and the suction valve 22 into thecylinder 5 i. The flow of the suction gas causes the suction valve strip25 to be flexed or bowed downwardly along a single curve, as indicatedin Fig. 10. The gaseous fluid fiows through the port 25 and on oppositesides of the valve strip 26. During the suction stroke the dischargevalve 24 is held in closed position by the higher pressure in thedischarge chamber 59.

Upon the upward or compression stroke of the piston 12, the suctionvalve strip 2% assumes its normal fiat position and as the gas in thecylinder is compressed, it is held tightly against its seat. At the sametime, the discharge valve strip 38 is flexed upwardly against the guidemember 3! by the pressure of the gas flowing from the compressor.Accordingly, the piston causes flow of gas from the cylinder H, throughthe discharge valve 2 the discharge chamber 39, and the port 23 to thedischarge passage M.

It will be noted that, upon the suction stroke of the piston, thecentral portion of the suction valve strip 25 moves into that portion ofthe cylinder which is traversed by the piston. The utilization of thisspace avoids the necessity of pro viding space which adds to thevolumetric clearance.

Figs. 5 and 6 In Figs. 5 and 6, I show an embodiment of my inventionwhich is particularly suitable for smaller compressors, such as thoseused for domestic refrigerators. Instead of a separate guide member forthe discharge valve, as in the first embodiment, the cylinder headitself is formed with an integral projection 34, formed as shown inFigs. 5 and 6, to constitute a retaining member and stop for thedischarge valve. This projection is formed with two apertures 35 toprovide for fiow of the gas discharged from that side of the valve whichis adjacent the partition 253a to the discharge chamber lea. In otherrespects, this embodiment is the same as the first.

Figs. 7 and 8 In Figs. '7 and 8, a sheet metal spacing element 36 isprovided to space the valve plate l5 and the cylinder member It?) toreceive the valve strip 26 therebetween, the sheet metal element 36being of slightly greater thickness than the valve strip. The sheetmetal member 38 is of the form shown in Fig. 7, and is formed withrecesses 3? which receive the end portions of the valve strip 26 andrestrain the valve strip against both lengthwise and sidewise movement.The cylinder member lfib is formed with recesses 38 which are inregistry with the recesses 37 but which are inclined downwardly towardthe cylinder Hi. It will be noted that the recesses 37 and 38 tog-etherform a recess of the form of the recesses 27 of the first embodiment.The advantage of this arrangement is in providing a simpler'machiningoperation, in that the recesses 38 are formed entirely on the arc of acircle and may, therefore, be formed by the single movement of a millingcutter.

Fig. 9

with recesses 27 similar to the recesses 21 of the first embodiment.

The operation of this embodiment is identical with that of the firstembodiment. The only difference in construction is that the recesses 27are formed in a separate and smaller member which may be more easilyhandled in forming the recesses 27.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 In Figs. 10, 11 and 12, I show still anotherembodiment which is suitable for small compressors, such as those usedin domestic refrigerators. In this embodiment, the suction and dischargevalves, and the partition in the cylinder head therebetween extendlongitudinally, that is, parallelto the row in which the suction anddischarge passages and the cylinder are disposed. The advantage of thisarrangement is to permit the gas discharged from the opposite sides ofthe discharge strip 30 to flow longitudinally of the valve to thedischarge passage l4.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various other changes and modifications without departing from thespirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitationsshall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In a compressor or the like, the combination of a cylinder memberhaving a cylinder formed therein, a piston movable in the cylinder, avalve plate closing one end of the cylinder and having a suction valveport disposed in registry with the cylinder, a thin flexible valve reedor strip adapted to close said port, said valve strip being disposedbetween the cylinder member and the valve plate and extending acrosssaid cylinder with both end portions thereof projecting beyond thecylinder, and said cylinder member being formed with recesses adapted toreceive the projecting end portions and permit the same to move thereinangularly about the ends of the strip when the valve strip is bowed intothe cylinder upon the suction stroke of the piston.

2. In a compressor or the like, the combination of a cylinder memberhaving a cylinder formed therein and a plane surface at one end of thecylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a valve plate disposed against saidplane surface across the cylinder and having a port adapted tocommunicate with the cylinder, and a suction valve reed or stripdisposed between the cylinder memher and the valve plate on the cylinderside of said plane, said valve reed extending across the cylinder inregistry with said port and projectin'g beyond the cylinder at bothends, said cylinder member being formed with recesses in which saidprojecting end portions are received and which permit the valve reed todeflect so that the central portion thereof moves into the space in thecylinder traversed by the piston.

3. In a compressor or the like, the combination of a cylinder memberhaving a cylinder formed therein, a piston movable in the cylinder, awall closing one end of the cylinder and having a suction valve portdisposed in registry with the cylinder, a resilient valve reed or stripdisposed on the cylinder side of said wall for controlling the fiow offluid through the port, means for retaining the end portions of saidvalve strip but permitting said end portions to move angularly about theends of the valve strip upon valve opening movement, the parts beingconstructed and arranged so that the central portion of the valve stripis bowed, upon the suction stroke of the piston, into the space withinthe cylinder that is traversed by the piston.

4. In a compressor or the like, the combination of a cylinder memberhaving a cylinder formed therein, a piston movable in the cylinder, awall closing one end of the cylinder and having a suction valve portdisposed in registry with the cylinder, a resilient valve reed or stripdisposed on the cylinder side of said wall in such position that theintermediate portion of the valve strip cooperates with said port toform a suction valve for the cylinder while both end portions thereofproject beyond the cylinder, and means for retaining the end portions ofthe valve strip but permitting the same to move angularly about the endsof the valve strip upon valve'opening movement, the parts beingconstructed and arranged so that, upon the suction stroke of the piston,the intermediate portion of the valve strip moves into the space withinthe cylinder that is traversed by the piston.

5. In a compressor or the like, the combination of a cylinder memberhaving a cylinder formed therein, a piston movable in the cylinder, awall closing one end of the cylinder and having a suction valve portdisposed in registry with the cylinder, a resilient valve reed or stripdisposed on the cylinder side of said wall in such position that theintermediate portion of the valve strip cooperates with said port toform a suction valve for the cylinder while both end portions thereofproject beyond the cylinder, the cylinder member being formed withrecesses for said projecting end portions, said recesses including sideand end walls for restraining the valve strip sidewise and lengthwiseand bottom walls which are inclined upwardly from the cylinder to permitthe angular movement of the end portions which accompanies the bowing ofthe valve strip into the cylinder upon the suction stroke of the piston.

6. In a compressor or the like, the combination of a cylinder memberhaving a cylinder formed therein, a piston movable in the cylinder, avalve plate closing one end of the cylinder and having suction anddischarge ports therein registering with the cylinder, a cylinder headformed with a partition disposed between said suction and dischargeports and dividing the cylinder head into suction and discharge chamberscommunicating with said suction and discharge ports, respectively, saiddischarge port being elongated and extending parallel to said partition,the compressor being formed with an outlet for the discharge chamber, aresilient valve strip disposed on the cylinder side of said plate andcooperating with the suction port to form a suction valve for thecylinder, a second resilient valve strip disposed in said dischargechamber and cooperating with said discharge port to form a dischargevalve for the cylinder, said cylinder head being formed with an integralelongated projection extending along said discharge valve strip andforming a guide or retaining member therefor, said cylinder head beingformed with a passage for flow of discharged fluid from the spacebetween said projection and said partition to said outlet.

7. In a compressor or the like, the combination of a cylinder memberhaving a cylinder formed therein, a piston movable in the cylinder, awall closing one end of the cylinder and having a suction valve portdisposed in registry with the cylinder, a resilient valve reed or stripdisposed between said wall and said cylinder member, the intermediateportion of the valve strip controlling flow through said port and theend portions thereof projecting beyond said cylinder, a sheet metalmember of slightly greater thickness than said valve strip securedbetween said wall and said cylinder member to space the same foraccommodating said valve strip, said sheet metal member being formed toreceive said projecting end portions and to restrain the same againstlengthwise and sidcwise movement, the

cylinder member being formed with recesses in registry with said endportions for receiving the same When the valve strip is bowed inwardlyof the cylinder upon the suction stroke of the piston.

8. In a compressor or the like, the combination of a cylinder memberhaving a cylinder formed therein, a piston movable in the cylinder,first and second valve platesdisposed across one end of the cylinder,the valve plate adjacent the cylinder being formed with an opening.which coincides with and forms an extension of said cylinder, the pistonbeing movable into said opening, the other valve plate being formed witha'suction' port in registry with the cylinder, a resilient valve reed orstrip extending across the cylinder with the intermediate portion inregistry with said port and with the end portions projecting beyond thecylinder, the projecting end portions of said valve strip being retainedbetween, said valve plates and the valve plate adjacent the cylindermember being formed with recesses which permit the end portions to moveangularly when the valve strip is bowed inwardly of the cylinder uponthe suction stroke of the piston.

JOHN G. BITTER.

